Living with neuropathy can be frustrating. Many patients deal with burning pain, tingling, or numbness in their feet and legs every day. When they seek help, they are often told there are very few treatment options beyond medications that help to manage the symptoms.
At Vista Healthcare in St. George, Utah, neurologist Dr. Shawn Allen sees this frustration regularly. When Axon Therapy became available, he and his team were excited to offer a treatment option that actually targets the nerves causing the pain. Instead of simply masking symptoms, this non-invasive therapy works to retrain the way nerves process pain signals.
What Does Neuropathy Feel Like?
Neuropathy affects the nerves that carry signals between your brain and the rest of your body. When those nerves become damaged or irritated, the signals can become disrupted. These nerves help you feel things like temperature, pressure, and pain. When they become damaged or irritated, those signals can get mixed up.
Many patients first notice tingling in the toes, numbness in the feet, or a burning sensation that worsens at night. Others describe sharp pain, pins and needles, or extreme sensitivity to touch. As the condition progresses, walking can become uncomfortable and balance may be affected.
Neuropathy can develop for several reasons. Diabetes is one of the most common causes, but it can also be linked to injuries, autoimmune conditions, infections, chemo treatments, or certain medications. Without treatment, symptoms often worsen over time.
Why Staying Active Matters
When neuropathy symptoms make movement painful, many people assume the best option is to rest more. Gentle movement is often helpful for nerve health. Low-impact activities such as walking, swimming, or cycling can improve circulation, maintain muscle strength, and help preserve balance.
The key is finding a treatment plan that reduces nerve pain enough to help patients stay active and continue doing the things they enjoy. When neuropathy pain is managed effectively, many patients find they can return to activities they enjoy, from walking with family to staying active in their community.
An Option for Treating Neuropathy Pain
After working with many patients who struggled to control symptoms with medications alone, Dr. Shawn Allen began offering Axon Therapy as another treatment option at Vista Healthcare. Axon Therapy uses gentle pulses delivered through a specialized coil placed near the affected nerves to stimulate the nerve pathways and begin retraining how those nerves process pain signals.
“This new FDA approved treatment reconditions your nerves to change the way they sense pain,” Dr. Allen explains. “We are finally seeing patients gain control over their pain without having to go up on medication dosing.”
What to Expect During Treatment
Each Axon Therapy session typically takes about thirteen and a half minutes. For patients receiving treatment on both sides of the body, such as those with peripheral neuropathy in both feet, the total treatment time is usually around twenty-six minutes. During the session, patients lie comfortably while the device delivers light pulses every few seconds to stimulate the nerves. Axon sends electromagnetic impulses to your nerves to allow them to communicate to each other.
Because nerve reconditioning takes time, treatment occurs over several visits. Many patients begin with three treatments during the first week, followed by weekly visits for several weeks and occasional maintenance sessions afterward. Treatment plans are tailored to each patient’s individual needs.
A Patient’s Experience
Ken, a recently retired refinery worker from Salt Lake City, began experiencing worsening neuropathy. “I originally had a pain level of eight plus when I first talked to Kelsie Montgomery, DNP about this,” Ken says. “My pain level was increasing daily, and I thought I was going to have to go on opioids.”
After learning about Axon Therapy at Vista Healthcare, he decided to give the treatment a try. “After about two months, I noticed that my neuropathy was starting to improve,” he says. “It has literally brought my pain level from an eight plus down to a two.” Ken now drives from Mesquite for treatments and says the improvement has made a significant difference in his quality of life. “I just love Vista Healthcare for what they’ve done for me,” he says.
Finding the Right Care
Neuropathy can be frustrating, but treatment options are improving. Your first Axon Therapy is free. To schedule an evaluation with Dr. Allen at Vista Healthcare, visit Vista-hc.com/axon or call (435) 222-0223.